In the Pocket
by StormyAngel12
Summary: Theo triggers as a Tinker with access to an alternate dimension full of Pokémon. He sets out to be the Hero he always wanted to be.
1. Prologue

Introduction: This is a crossover between Worm by Wildbow, and Pokemon. The main crossover element is that Theo has access to Pokemon and uses them to fight. Ideally, you should be able to read (and hopefully enjoy) this even if you've never touched a Pokemon game.

I originally started writing this over on Spacebattles, where it is currently up to Chapter 4. I'm crossposting it here to keep all of my writing in one place, but it will still be available there.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything here.

— _In the Pocket_ —

Prologue

 _November 11th, 2010_

In retrospect, I should have realized I was a cape.

I had been taught about the signs, after all. I knew what trigger events were, and I even got to see parahumans on a daily basis. Nobody was better prepared to see their powers coming than I was.

But I thought it was just a fantasy, some kind of imagined freedom from my inescapable father.

The man otherwise known as Kaiser.

He was more than just powerful, he was [i]dominant[/i]. He had to have control of everything around him.

I wish I could say he was a bad person for being a racist (which would have been enough on its own), but I honestly don't think he gave a shit about any of that. He payed lip service to his underling's beliefs, but he didn't really care one way or another.

He was just _bad_ , plain and simple.

It's pretty ironic that I saw through the Empire's dogma because I saw through _him_.

So yeah, when I first started thinking up plans for a device that could open up a portal to another world... _obviously_ I figured it was just another fantasy. Just a bit more unusual than my other ones.

Then it didn't go away. In fact the longer the idea stuck with me, the more I realized exactly how _detailed_ the whole thing was. I was pretty sure that I could actually build it if I had the parts.

That's when I realized I was a tinker. It didn't matter that almost _any_ other power would have been more useful in my circumstances. Of course I had to trigger with the one that required resources and prep-time and was too easy to trace.

My father was still on the watch for me to develop powers, even if he was starting to lose interest in the possibility. If I ever gave him even a _hint_ of my new abilities, I'd be pressganged into the Empire.

And as a tinker with no access to supplies, I wouldn't exactly have a choice in the matter. So I had to hide, and the plans in my head just _sat_ there. Wasted.

Luckily, Kayden gave me the opportunity I needed before too long. She split off, from both Father and the Empire, taking Aster with her.

Of course, even she couldn't just _leave_. Max Anders had too many friends in high places for her to truly vanish from his influence. Still, she managed to put some distance between the man and her daughter.

I was just lucky enough to be the babysitter.

"I'll be back late, Theo." Kayden said with a sigh. "I've already asked your father if you could stay and look after Aster."

"Thanks." I offered her a strained smile. I _was_ grateful, but I knew Kayden didn't really _like_ me. Which hurt, because she really was a good person, and she cared for me in her own way.

It was more than anyone else had ever done.

"I'll take good care of her." I promised. She gave me that strange look, the one that told me she really was grateful even though she struggled to overlook my parentage. Then she left.

Which meant that I was finally going to get my chance. Over the last few months, I had built the portal generator here, piece by piece. It had been ready for a week now, and I'd just been waiting for the right night to use it.

Unfortunately, the world on the other side was full of various monsters. Animals really. It had taken me the better part of this week to finish off a slightly simpler design floating around in my head, a device that would let me capture and tame one of the monsters.

I turned and trudged over to my room, pulling the portalmaker out and setting it up in the closet.

It was time to be a Master.


	2. Starter 1

— _In the Pocket_ —

Starter 1.1

 _November 11th, 2010_

I stepped through the portal.

When I had first dreamt up my personal portalmaker, I had thought that it would take me to another _Earth_ , like Aleph for example. I could use it to get away from Kaiser permanently, maybe build a life for myself elsewhere.

It was only when I had realized it was real that I'd paid attention to a few of the more important details.

For whatever reason, the portalmaker was attuned to just one world. I could use it to go anywhere on that world, from the highest mountain's peak to the bottom of the ocean floor, but it wouldn't go anywhere but this one world.

My powers had also informed me that this world was a little too dangerous for humans to occupy.

I had taken to calling it "Lalotai" consequently, since it meant "Realm of Monsters".

And monsters they were. I don't know where the knowledge came from, but instinctively I knew that the animals here could be dangerous on a scale far beyond the wildlife I was familiar with. They could breathe fire, shoot forth lightning, and even spit water at ridiculously high pressures.

They were, in short, as strong as your average cape. And my powers hinted at even more.

I pulled out the small metal ball resting in my pocket. I'd built it out of various scraps and an old run down computer, but somehow my power assured me it would work. With this device, I could capture, store, and even _tame_ one of these monsters.

Since my powers hadn't opened up a path to escape, I had decided to use them to change Brockton Bay instead. With enough of these monsters in hand, I should be able to do just that.

The portal had opened up in a temperate area, which felt nice compared to the winter we were going through back in the bay. The gentle breeze played across my cheek, and the field of tall grass before me danced in its currents. Mountains rose in the distance, and there was a forest to my left, but as I looked around I didn't spot any movement.

That was good. I'd specified an area with relatively low amounts of wildlife when I turned on the portalmaker, as I hadn't wanted to be caught by surprise. I might have brought a capture device with me, but I wouldn't feel truly safe in Lalotai without a couple of tame monsters to defend me.

Still, I couldn't just stand here forever. Without an easy target in sight, I would need to go looking for one, and my time was limited. I stepped forward into the field, arm raised and my device ready to throw.

A sudden cry sounded from the ground, right at my feet. It startled me, and I dropped the ball as my head jerked down to get a look at the source of the noise.

A strange yellowish lizard creature glared at me with...closed eyes? How was that even possible? I had the distinct impression of displeasure, and from the looks of things I had interrupted its nap.

I moved to throw the capture device at it, remembering too late that I had dropped the ball earlier. Strangely enough, the creature _vanished_ the second I moved.

I gaped in awe. It had teleported? Holy shit! That was...too useful to ignore. I needed to find another one of the creatures and catch it.

I picked up the capture device, and after checking to make sure that it would still function as intended I set about searching the field once more. _Carefully_.

Unfortunately, there didn't appear to be any more of the teleporters in the area. I couldn't help but sigh. My carelessness had already cost me when I missed the one that had sat right in front of me for several minutes. I needed to pay better attention than that if I didn't want to get hurt out here.

I could always come back another time of course, but there was no guarantee the creature would return even if I left. For now I would just have to keep looking.

I stepped back through the portal, shutting it off for a moment as I went to check on Aster. She was resting easy in her crib as far as I could tell, and the apartment phone indicated no missed calls.

With that done I activated the portal once more, stepping out onto a beach this time. It was a little chillier than the field, but I suppose beggars can't be choosers. I told the portalmaker what I wanted, and it found the places that met my requirements.

Eventually I would build up a map of sorts, with data on what monsters were likely to be found where. For now, I just had to rely on my tech.

I looked around, eyeing the area. I knew the creatures were just as likely to be found In the sea, but I had no plans to go swimming at the moment. Hopefully I could find something on the land...

I caught a glimpse of movement in the corner of my eye, and I turned to see a...fish? I moved closer.

It _was_ a fish. And it was flopping around uselessly, helpless outside of its element. I considered it for a moment.

I could probably have caught it. The capture device wasn't infallible but I was pretty sure that it would succeed in this case. I just...why? The fish would be of no use to me.

Shaking my head, I poked the thing with my finger. It provoked a series of flops, perhaps a little stronger than before, but I was completely unharmed. Sighing, I picked the fish up and set it down in the water. The moment the thing hit the water it bolted, vanishing from my sight in seconds. I suppose it could swim at least.

Ten more minutes didn't produce anything else, and I wasn't comfortable going too far from the portal just yet. I stepped back through and cycled it open to the next destination.

This one seemed much darker than the previous two, and even though I had noticed the sky darkening over the last half hour I was a little surprised. Was I on the other side of Lalotai?

I grabbed a flashlight, and once I was sure that it worked I stepped on through.

Immediately I was struck by this feeling of _weight_. This was clearly a cave, but I felt certain that it was deep underground somewhere. To my surprise, the light from the flashlight revealed a wide spectrum of colors. The cave must have consisted of quite diverse minerals.

Something heavy hit the ground beside me, and I jumped forward to put some space between me and it. The beam from the flashlight swung wildly as I turned it on whatever had made the noise, but I was distracted by a much _louder_ noise that filled the air like thunder.

Whatever had landed beside me appeared to have tried to tackle me, which I discovered by turning my beam back on the wall that it had collided with after I dodged. The tiny thing, stubby and metallic, was _stuck in the wall_. I broke out into a cold sweat as I took in the sight of the _massive_ cracks and billowing clouds of dust pouring out of the point of impact.

I had just narrowly avoided death. Whatever that creature was, if it could do that much damage to a cave wall, then my body likely wouldn't have been as much as a speed bump to it.

I took a deep breath as my heart raced. I was alive. I was still here, maybe a bit startled, but mostly unharmed. Moreover, the monster was stuck...

It slid down to the ground, rolling over to face me as I gaped in amazement. Based on the crunching noises emanating from its face that I really should have noticed earlier, it had just _chewed through stone_ to get free.

The thing was eyeing me, and it did have eyes I saw, despite the flashlight focused on its face. It didn't try to tackle me right away, for which I was grateful. Unfortunately, my first dodge had placed it between me and my only way home.

I was distracted, briefly, by a number of thoughts on ways to make the portal more portable, but I shook them aside. I didn't have the resources, and if I didn't _focus_ then I probably wasn't going to have the chance to build it anyway.

Build it...I would have rolled my eyes if I felt safe to break the staring contest. I _had_ come here for a purpose, and if I couldn't use my capture device now, then what was the point of building it?

I would have preferred a weaker monster for my first attempt, because the tech was supposed to work better on an exhausted target. I suppose I would just have to make due with the way the monster had collided with solid rock a moment ago.

Taking careful aim, I lobbed the capture device forward. The creature tilted its head in a remarkably interesting expression of curiosity, before disappearing into the ball in a flash of red light.

I ran for the portal. Whether or not I actually managed to capture the wall crusher, I did _not_ want it between me and the portal to safety.

I reached the portal in moments, gasping more from the adrenaline than any real feeling of exhaustion, when I heard the capture device give off a soft chime. I smiled grimly. It had worked.

It had _worked_!

I searched for the ball with my flashlight and retrieved it. Despite my recent haste to leave the cave, I stood for a moment with the ball in the palm of my hand.

This creature, this thing of monstrous strength, was _mine_ now. Even now, the programming in the ball was working to train the monster to recognize me and my voice. In just twenty four hours it should be safe to release for some basic interactions, and eventually it would fight at my command.

It was a powerful feeling.

The capture device shrunk on command, and I slipped it into my pant's pocket as I stepped back through the portal. Saving the various coordinates of my three visits to Lalotai, I frowned.

I had been thinking of these things as monsters for so long now, but in the end they were only animals. There was no malice there.

Moreover, I didn't want to be like my father. The animal I had captured was strong, and I intended to use that strength, but I didn't want to value it solely for its strength. It was a living, breathing creature, and it deserved to be treated with respect.

Maybe I should name it?

No. Or rather, I _would_ name it, but before that I needed a name for the animals in general, something other than "monster" to remind me that they weren't truly monstrous.

Unfortunately, while I did have the plans for an index of sorts, that should provide useful names for the individual creatures, there was no useful name for the wildlife of Lalotai in my head. I disassembled my portal generator and hid it under the bed once more before stripping out of my dusty clothes and preparing to take a shower.

It was a few minutes after my shower before inspiration struck, but when it did I rushed to the computer.

"Kaibutsu. Japanese meaning monster." I grinned. Someday I would be taking these Kaibutsu out as a hero, and when that day came this name would be perfect. The Empire would see it as Japanese, and hate it instantly. The ABB would understand the word for what it truly meant, and they would learn to fear it as they should.

And the rest of the city would just think it was some cape being eccentric, which, to be fair, I was.

I closed the laptop, careful to close out of the web browser. I checked on Aster before settling down for bed, my mind racing. I had barely scratched the surface of my powers, and there was still so much work to do that it felt like an impossible dream, far distant.

Still, I couldn't help but grin as I drifted off to sleep that night.


	3. Starter 2

—In the Pocket—

Starter 1.2

 _November 26th, 2010_

While I had survived my first trip into Lalotai, it had taught me a few things. Namely how ill-prepared I was for the dangers inherent in hunting down anything, or any _one_ with superpowers. Since my goal was to bring down the gangs, I would inevitably run straight into conflict with the majority of parahumans in the city. My current lack of preparation was a problem if I wanted to beat them, let alone survive the attempt.

Fortunately, my powers provided a variety of options that I had yet to exercise. Now that I had finished the portalmaker, as well as captured my first Kaibu, I set to work doing some more tinkering. I don't know what other tinkers had to do to build their gear, but some of my stuff was just _weird_.

My first project was a pair of running shoes. My second? A backpack.

The running shoes made me faster. _Really_ fast. I wasn't an Olympic sprinter or anything, but for a fourteen year-old, overweight layabout I certainly moved faster than I should have been able to. Consequently, I took up running (much to my father's annoyed approval). My understanding was that the shoes improved on my natural abilities, so the better shape I was in, the faster I could move.

The backpack was a godsend for keeping my powers secret, since it was bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside. A _lot_ bigger. I literally fit a bicycle in there at some point, and I'm not really sure how it fit through the opening. Of course, once I'd tested it for safety, I'd stored all of my tech in there as well as any materials I found for more projects. Having all of the incriminating evidence, such as the portalmaker, with me at all times lifted a weight off my shoulder. I stored my schoolwork in there too, and that gave me a cover to take it with me everywhere.

I understood that this kind of reality-warping bullshit was normal for tinkers. What I didn't get was how I managed to pull it off with such limited resources. A couple of old phones and a backpack should not a new pocket dimension make.

After that, and despite my power's ability to work on a shoestring budget, I hit a bit of a roadblock.

"Sorry, kid. I don't care how broken that laptop is, you'll just have to make do." Sheila didn't even bother to look at me as she waved my request off dismissively. To be fair, this was the _third_ laptop I had 'broken' in the last month. If the Medhall employees hadn't seen me as a waste of space _before_ , then my recent spate of 'clumsiness' wasn't likely to help matters.

Not that this one was actually broken. It was just...missing a few pieces. Pieces I had needed for my next project.

"But it's-"

"Nope." She shook her head. "Those are your father's orders, Theo."

I almost grimaced, covering it with a sigh instead. The _only_ upside of being Theo Anders was that I was Max Ander's son, meaning that what my father considered pocket change was a little higher than average. I'd disappointed him for so long now that I was usually beneath his notice, and he'd told me to see his secretaries if I needed anything 'for school'. Something I'd been leveraging to get some parts on the sly. Unfortunately, it looked like that avenue was closed to me now.

"Alright, fine." I muttered 'rebelliously'. I'd just have to find some other way to get the parts I needed. I turned to leave, already sifting through my options.

"Oh, and you've got a meeting tonight." Sheila tossed out casually. "Some of your father's old friends will be stopping by from out of town."

I froze.

Damn it. That phrase, 'old friends', was a code referring to the Herren Clan. Father was probably meeting with some of them tonight, and he wanted me along for some godforsaken reason.

"I thought I was supposed to babysit for Kayden tonight?" I asked, a little strained. Sheila bared her teeth at me in some approximation of a smile.

"You will be," She responded. "Mrs. Anders will be joining the party for dinner."

"Great." I replied, not even trying to hide my disappointment. "Thanks."

-o0o-

Dinner was awkward.

"You're Theo?" The girl asked skeptically. I managed to restrain a sigh as I nodded.

She was too polite, or too in awe of my father, to say anything more. It was fairly obvious what she would have said though.

I didn't exactly _look_ like the son of Kaiser.

Our guests for the evening, not counting Kayden and Aster who were currently pretending to still live here, were a small family of three. Brooke Rainier, their daughter of about my age, was a cape. She was joining the Empire on behalf of the Herren Clan this week.

My father probably wanted us to meet, which explained why I was attending this dinner. The Empire liked to pretend it was building things, so at some point I'd be pressured to marry. Preferably a cape. Brooke was only a few months older than I was.

She was pretty cute, with long blonde hair, but I could tell she wasn't impressed. Which was fine by me since what I had heard thus far hadn't impressed me much either.

"It's a shame you don't have your powers yet." Brooke sympathized patronizingly. Her fork and knife rotating around her hand idly, the showoff. "But don't worry. I'm sure you'll get your chance to take out the trash of this city eventually."

Yeah, a real charmer this one was.

I shook my head 'ruefully'. "I probably wouldn't be much use in a fight."

Which was true to an extent, since I was a tinker. With more time and Kaibutsu that should change, but it was a useful deflection all the same. I wish I could tell her what I really thought about the Empire, but I had learned years ago that the consequences for doing so were far too steep. I wasn't at a point yet where I could afford to openly challenge Kaiser on anything.

Fortunately my timid response seemed to do the trick, as her lips curled up in disgust almost reflexively. One thing I had noticed was that all capes despised weakness to some extent or another. It was a great way to get them to shut up and stop talking to me. It worked this time too, and Brooke returned to her meal.

I followed suit, listening to the conversation we had been missing as I ate mechanically.

"...the PRT is _letting_ them do as they please. It's infuriating."

"But what about Lung?" Mrs. Rainier replied. "He beat the entire protectorate last year, did he not?"

"Lung." Kayden snorted. "He ran away from Purity, who was alone, _twice_ these past few months. Legend is supposed to be even stronger than she is. They could easily call in help and take care of the nuisance."

"Now, now dear." Father interjected. "The PRT does have to take the bigger picture into account." He sighed in a put upon way. "Of course, if they would only work _with_ us instead of fighting us every step of the way! We could have cleaned up these streets long ago."

I noticed the way Kayden bristled at the appellation, subtle as it was. She was here tonight to meet the Empire's newest recruit, and my father had convinced her to play along as if they were still together for just the evening. Supposedly it was to "put up a united front", although it was really just the price of admission for meeting Brooke.

Not that the Rainiers knew who she was. Purity had rather visibly split off from the Empire, at least to its own rank and file, and it would say bad things about Kaiser if his wife had left the cause because of him. So she was just the wife tonight. False as it was.

"It is a shame." Mr. Rainier allowed. "That the PRT cannot prioritize better."

"Yes, well. We make do." Father replied. "And with your daughter's help, we should be able to do even more for the cause."

All eyes turned to Brooke as she smiled.

"I'm so grateful for the opportunity, Mr. Anders." She answered happily. Her parents looked strangely uneasy for some reason.

"Have you decided on a name yet, Miss Rainier?" He asked her with a respectful nod.

"Well." She reached forward and touched a pitcher of water. In seconds it flowed into the air, the water pouring into an old Nordic symbol. "I was thinking Rune."

-o0o-

It was a stupid risk, but after a night like tonight I was feeling a little reckless.

It was hard enough living with a man like Max Anders. I had _triggered_ from it. But having to put up with his racist crap ( _insincere_ crap at that) was tiring in yet another way.

I didn't care about race. As far as I could tell, it didn't change _anything_ about the Empire. They were just like every other gang destroying the city, complete with delusions of grandeur.

'Rune' was just another deluded teenage girl, indoctrinated by her family to fight for a cause nobody needed. Kaiser was just going to use her like a moderately powerful chess piece, but after tonight she was ready to jump right in.

It was frustrating. If I wanted to do anything about it, then I needed to make some progress.

So I found myself looking for one of the rooms that my father kept camera free. He used several such rooms in the manor for running the Empire. While Kaiser might want to record things for his own benefit, Max Anders couldn't afford the liabilities actual recordings would incur.

After the dinner, where the ABB and Protectorate were roundly condemned, the Rainiers had departed. Kayden had entrusted Aster to me before she and my father argued for several minutes. She'd left shortly afterwards, and I had been dismissed to "look after your sister".

Aster was asleep now, and I had her baby monitor with me as I entered the room. A quick sweep to make sure no cameras had been installed since my last visit, and I was in the clear.

From my backpack I removed the 'broken' laptop, the capture device currently holding my first Kaibutsu, and my latest project: the Handheld Kaibutsu Index.

That wasn't what my powers called it (since they didn't call it anything at all), but I thought it was a good description. All I was building was a complex scanning device that held information on the Kaibutsu. Why my brain couldn't just access the index directly I had no idea, but I guess it was a quirk of my powers.

Unfortunately, I hadn't received a new computer as planned, so I was going to have to finish it later. In its finished form, the K-dex, as I had taken to calling it, should provide information on any Kaibutsu I encountered by just pointing and clicking. Until that happened, it was only going to work on Kaibutsu that I had already captured.

Like the one in the K-ball right here.

I fiddled with the laptop a bit, trying to see if my powers could find anything to work with. After a few minutes I had confirmed that whatever it was the K-dex still needed, I wouldn't find it there.

I hooked the K-ball up to the device with a wire, turning on the K-dex with a quick code that I'd thrown together for security purposes the other day in my math class.

 **Loading…**

 **Scan complete.**

The screen filled up with information.

 **No. 304: Aron**

 **This animal has a body of steel. To make its body, Aron feeds on iron ore that it digs from mountains. Unusually tough and strong, the average Aron can demolish objects many times their size.**

Aron. Hm. I suppose that was as good a name as any, although I had to wonder if my power was somehow just pulling my leg. Aron was only one vowel away from Iron after all.

Still, a steel body? To process iron into steel as a bodily function? No matter how it was accomplished, this...Aron, was a marvelous creature.

I glanced back at the top of the screen. What was with the numbering? Were there 304 different Kaibutsu in Lalotai? No, that didn't make sense. What were the odds that I had caught the last in the sequence? There were probably even _more_ than 304 species of wildlife.

Of course, that still raised the question: who the hell built this index?

I felt a curiosity wholly separate from that which I usually experienced as a tinker. These Kaibutsu...the K-ball and my other various tech. They were a mystery. I probably had as much of a chance solving it as I would discovering the origin of parahuman powers, but even if I couldn't, I still had to try.

I unhooked the K-ball, cradling it in the palm of my hand as I stared at it thoughtfully.

"Where did you come from…" I mused softly.

Unfortunately, no answer seemed to be forthcoming before I was interrupted by the baby monitor. I rushed to pack everything away and check on Aster before my father wondered where I was.

Eventually, I'd have the chance to figure this all out. It couldn't come soon enough as far as I was concerned.


	4. Starter 3

— _In the Pocket_ —

Starter 1.3  
 _December 10th, 2010_

From what I could tell, my powers were pretty strange. I was absolutely a tinker, with a wide variety of ideas to work on. But then, a lot of my better stuff revolved around the Kaibutsu. (Kaibu? Maybe I could shorten it. Three syllables was a mouthful.)

The capture device for instance. Just a small little prison right? No, a bit of study revealed that the kaibu were actually entering a form of _stasis_. There was some weird interaction with...I think their souls? Whatever it was, they were basically frozen in time. On top of being compressed and weighing next to nothing all of a sudden. As long as they were in the stasis, they were immortal.

Until the K-ball broke, at least.

Compared to that, my extra-dimensional backpack was a relatively simple device. All of my tech was like that: it all revolved around the kaibu. Their capture, taming, and utilization in combat. I wasn't sure why...but I had a pretty strong impression that the kaibu were meant to be fighters.

So I was a tinker...but more as a stepping stone to something else. I was actually meant to be a _Master_.

Which made it all the more frustrating when I couldn't explore that possibility. The Kaibutsu stood out far too much. If I wanted to spend any time familiarizing myself with them, then I needed a safe place where I could avoid observation. And time enough to train without being missed.

Not really something I ever had.

The closest I came to freedom was babysitting Aster, and Kayden's apartment wasn't exactly ideal for power testing a kaibu like Aron. He broke a cave wall without too much difficulty, I didn't anticipate that going any better with wallpaper.

Eventually though, I lost my patience and let the kaibu out just to satisfy my curiosity. I needed the Kaibutsu to follow my commands in order to be a hero, but that didn't make them any less fascinating.

I found myself in a staring contest with a friendly set of light blue eyes. It didn't seem hostile, but then I wasn't likely to survive if the programming hadn't taken.

"Aron." I spoke. Aron tilted its head to the side, a clear indication of curiosity.

Then it _barked_.

That might not be the best way to describe the sound it made. It wasn't like a dog: there was a metallic _grating_ to it. A buzz?

It still made me jump.

Whatever the thing was trying to do, it didn't try to kill me. Since that was a prime opportunity to catch me off guard, I could only assume that it was being friendly. I _had_ called it by the name the K-ball had drilled into it. Don't ask me where it came from. Probably from the same place the K-dex did.

Wherever that was.

"Aron." I repeated, more confident this time. "Come over here."

I matched actions to my words, gesturing for Aron to come over as I sat. The kaibu eyed me curiously but soon enough it followed my instructions. It rubbed its head readily into my hands, the cold steel vibrating as it...purred?

I really needed to stop thinking of it...as an _it_. Aron. His…(her?) name was Aron. I checked the K-ball data, which apparently _did_ collect that information. The K-dex told me that Aron was male. He then.

Aron had quickly moved on from me to explore his new surroundings. I had to stop him from chewing on anything but he caught on surprisingly quick. Calling his name sharply brought his attention back to me instantly, and it was simple to help him understand the difference between 'no' and 'yes'.

Of course...this was a completely new environment for him. Perhaps he might not be so cooperative if he was safe in his home, deep under the mountains.

I set up the portal to Lalotai, careful to instruct Aron not to touch it. A quick check on Aster confirmed that she was resting lightly, and I opened a portal to Aron's cave.

Aron looked through the hole in space curiously, clearly interested in the wall disappearing.. After studying it for a few moments, he buzzed lightly before turning back to the inspection of my room.

Not desperate to get back then. That was...good? Still, I wanted to check on a few things, so I called Aron over and we passed through to the other side.

With a better flashlight and a bit more time, I was able to get a feel for the size of the cave. It was actually kind of small, more of a narrow gap that merged back together a mere fifteen feet further. The portal opened up on one end of the chasm.

Well, assuming Aron didn't somehow spring into existence from the rock, he had to have gotten here _somehow_. I used my flashlight to search the walls until finally I found what I had been looking for in the far right corner.

There was a hole in the ceiling. What it might lead to, I had no idea. It wasn't like I could get to it right now anyway, it was a good ten feet up. I also didn't have another K-ball ready to use yet, and I didn't relish the thought of more wild Arons attacking me. Or maybe even Kaibutsu I didn't know anything about.

Still, I was getting pretty desperate, and this _was_ a suitable place for power testing...assuming Aron didn't bring the walls down and accidentally kill me.

"Aron." I called. The kaibu turned to face me, muffled crunching noises emanating from his face. Where was his mouth anyway…

I cut off that line of thought. I could study the kaibu later, preferably in a safer environment. I came here to find out whether or not kaibu could be trained to fight, or if I would have to give up on my hare-brained scheme. Time to put this to the test. I pointed to a small rock on the other end of the cave.

"Fetch."

Without hesitation, Aron trotted over to the rock. He picked it up...somehow...holding it under his mask and brought it back to me, dropping it at my feet. I was a little relieved that he understood the command. I had spent most of my time programming new commands into Aron's K-ball while I waited for an opportunity to bring him out. Fortunately it appeared to have worked, so my little friend should recognize the three orders I had prepared.

I wasn't going to just count on it though, so I pointed at a boulder this time.

"Tackle."

 _Crack_

The sound of Aron's head on collision with the boulder filled the air, and dust blocked my view as small fragments fell down to the ground all around me. I coughed and waved to clear the air, but inside I was reeling.

Aron had gone _right through the rock_! No flinching, no preparation, he had just _leaped_ forward in a sudden blur, aimed straight for the boulder. He had _pulverized_ it.

Well, I certainly had a Brute class kaibu here. I would have to be especially careful not to throw him at anyone who couldn't take a hit.

Aron was waiting for me on the other side of the various larger chunks the boulder had split into, as I saw once the dust settled. He was completely unharmed, not even a scratch on that steel of his. I was pretty sure that broke the laws of physics _somewhere_ but that wasn't exactly newsworthy anymore.

Para… _Kaibutsu_ bullshit aside, I needed to be getting back to the apartment, as i didn't want to push my luck too far.

"Aron." I called, gesturing at the Kaibu as I had in the apartment.

A boulder landed right in the middle of us.

Then it _moved_.

I froze up staring as the boulder _sprouted arms_ , and began to hurl large chunks of rock at Aron.

That was a _kaibu_.

I'd hardly had the thought before I was scrambling for my K-dex. It was pretty tricky since my other arm held the flashlight, the beams danced wildly as I dug through my pockets, showing brief flashes of the fight breaking out right in front of me.

Finally I managed to pull out the K-dex. Scanning with my flashlight I quickly located the aggressive kaibu, who currently had Aron held up in the air, suspended over its main body. My heart sank a bit to realize my Kaibutsu was captured. Aron had tremendous strength, but held up in the air like that he didn't have a way to _use_ that strength. With a tight grip on two of his legs, I gather the thing was trying to tear Aron in two or something. Fortunately, it didn't seem to have the muscle for that, not that I was going to just sit here and let it keep trying. I trained the K-dex on the mysterious kaibu.

As soon as I got a scan, I would retreat. Pull back to the portal and return Aron to his K-ball, something which was _supposed_ to work at a distance, yet another feature I was going to test in the field. If I got away with that then I had what I needed really. I didn't have a K-ball to use at the moment, so all that I could accomplish here would be to kill a wild animal.

Or die.

After a few seconds scanning the thing while it tried to tear my first kaibu limb from limb, a gentle chime let me know the K-dex had finished its scan.

Riiiight...I knew I was forgetting something.

The "Geodude" caught sight of me, whereupon it promptly tossed Aron away and started gorilla-walking on its arms towards me. I was definitely the easier target after all, and watching a sentient _boulder_ walk at you with a twisted mouth, chomping at the bit, is pretty good motivation to get moving. I backpedaled furiously.

The kaibu wasn't _fast_ , but it wasn't like it needed to be fast to catch me. This was a pretty small cave and there was only so many feet between us in the first place. I might have made it to the portal in time (I _really_ didn't want to find out what the kaibu's grip would do to my limbs) but I was unfortunate enough to stumble backwards on the uneven cave floor.

The geodude growled… _happily_? It knew it had me, which it did. I didn't have enough time to stumble back to my feet _and_ run away.

It was hard to swallow and my heart pounded, but I desperately fought to stand. My flailing didn't do what i had hoped it would, but it did bump the flashlight I had dropped in the fall. The beam swung past the geodude revealing Aron a good ten feet back. He was clearly limping. He wouldn't make it in time to save me.

" _Tackle!_ " I practically screamed.

A rush of air, and a loud _clap_ , tore through my senses as Aron and the geodude flew through the portal.

"Shit!" I exclaimed. That was probably the only fate _worse_ than death at this point. I had just set a monster loose in the same apartment as _Aster_.

I scrambled to my feet, scraping my hand painfully on the cave floor and kicking the flashlight away in the process. Leaving it, I ran straight for the portal and I all but dived through it.

I ran into a calm...mess. Loose papers and clothes lay strewn about as if a tornado had passed through the room, but the furniture stood in one piece. Aron was currently… _preening_ on top of the geodude, which was perfectly still.

Was it… _dead_?

I wasn't sure how a boulder could actually die short of _obliterating it_ , but for whatever reason, the geodude wasn't moving. I wasted no time in getting Aron to help me drag it back to the portal. It was surprisingly light for a rock monster, and we managed to get it through the portal despite Aron's injuries and my poor shape.

I shut down the portal the second he went through, then I collapsed to the floor because my legs suddenly felt very weak.  
 _Buzz_ , my injured partner said.

"Thanks, Aron." I replied as the kaibu nuzzled me with its cold steel mask. " You did good. Go ahead and return for some rest." I pulled out his K-ball and activated it, and with a flash Aron was gone.

I sat there for a good five minutes. Just...sat there. Contemplating just how close I had come to death...or worse. If the geodude hadn't fainted...I shivered.

Luckily, while the fight had been terrifying, I wasn't actually all the tired, physically. I had moved a total of twenty feet the whole time, and run for like… _five_ seconds? It had seemed so much _longer_ though.

With my wits about me and my legs willing to obey me again, I set about cleaning up from the disaster my room had become. Organizing the clothes and papers took just a few minutes, and fortunately the geodude only left rocks and dust in the carpet, which I managed to pull up with a vacuum and some damp cloths.

With that done, I took a shower, stopping to disinfect the hand I'd scraped while I was at it. I stared at the scrape, the skin had a rash and at some parts had even drawn blood with small cuts. This was a pain, but I was really struck by how much _worse_ it could have been.

That geodude would have killed me if I'd done this two weeks ago. Aron wouldn't have been trained to make that tackle, and I would have died. Worse, I would have deserved it.

Why, if I was going to go to Lalotai to train, didn't I go somewhere _else_? I didn't have to trap myself in a confined space where I _knew_ Kaibutsu were a factor, that was so stupid! And where were my running shoes? If I'd worn them there would have been no issue.

And why the fuck didn't I already have a way to _close_ the goddamn portal on the other side!

I was pulled out of my self-recriminations by the shrill ringing of the apartment phone. With a sigh, I rushed over to grab it. Whoever it was, they wouldn't appreciate being made to wait, and they could have been calling the whole time I was in the shower for all I knew.

"Sorry, I was-"

"Theo." My father's grim voice cut me off. "I need you to get Aster ready to come to the hospital. Kayden's been hurt."

"The hospital?" I swallowed. "What...what happened?"

"Lung."


	5. Starter 4

— _In the Pocket_ —

Starter 1.4  
 _December 10th, 2010_

Of course, when _Kaiser_ says "the hospital", that actually means something entirely different from the one downtown.

The E88 didn't think of themselves as villains—seeing as how they believed their cause was just and right—but that didn't mean they were _stupid_. Walking into the hospital with severe burns after you get into a public throw down with Lung is what you call a _bad idea_. If Purity was injured, and she wasn't in custody, then there was only one "hospital" she'd end up going to.

And being secretly bankrolled by Medhall is a pretty handy advantage when it comes to your villainous healthcare.

So when Sheila picked me and Aster up to take us to the "hospital", she was actually driving us down to a well disguised clinic.

Run by Othala.

Aster and I were shown into Kayden's room, where Othala was slowly healing the worst of the injuries. Unfortunately, there were a lot of those. Kayden was visibly burned all up her right side, with half of her hair shorn off. Someone had wrapped her chest up for broken ribs, and her left leg rested suspended in a cast. She'd fought Lung off twice before on her own. I guess this time she wasn't so lucky.

"What happened?" I asked Othala quietly. She grimaced.

"Lung laid some kind of trap." She replied. "I'm not actually sure what it was though. She was barely conscious when she got here."

"That's…"

"Scary, yeah." Othala responded with a nod. "She barely made it. If she hadn't found her way through the door before she collapsed..."

She shuddered.

"Thank you." I murmured.

Unfortunately, Aster decided to take my words as an invitation to complain about the disruption of her sleep. I stood up to leave—I didn't want to wake Kayden up in a state like that—but I was blocked at the door by my father.

"Theo. You're here." Max nodded at me crisply before guiding me back in through the door. He walked over to Kayden's bed, his lips compressed into a thin line as he considered her burned visage. After a few moments he turned to Othala with a nod.

"Wake her up."

Othala paled. "Sir? She's seriously wounded. If I wake her up now-"

"We need to know what happened." Max replied patiently. "She's the only one who knows. Regardless of how painful it may be, we need you to wake her up. Purity would agree were our positions reversed."

I silently _disagreed_. Purity would probably put the well being of the injured party over something as small as an explanation. Aster's continued cries, ignored by our father, were likely not something she would enjoy waking up to either.

Come to think of it...why _were_ we here?

Othala glanced back at Kayden before nodding, lips pursed. She shifted her hand from Kayden's arm to her head. It was seconds before Kayden's eyes fluttered open.

She groaned, clearly in pain. Her eyes flitted about confusedly.

"Othala? Max?" She winced as she tried to rise, Othala rushing to restrain her.

"Careful there Kayden. You shouldn't be moving right now."

"She shouldn't be _here_ in the first place." Max stated firmly before turning back to Kayden. "What happened Purity?"

Kayden reacted as if she had been struck. Kaiser was clearly not willing to overlook her departure from the Empire. "I- What do you…" she trailed off as she spotted me in the back of the room.

"Aster?! What is she doing here?" Kayden demanded. Max frowned, clearly displeased.

"I had Theo bring her. We need to discuss some arrangements." Max explained patiently. "But first, explain to me: what happened?"

Kayden frowned, but turned back to Max.

"I caught some ABB thugs shifting drugs. When I moved to stop them, Oni Lee managed to drop some kind of net on me and I was pulled to the ground. Pinned."

"They caught you." Othala's horrified murmur sounded almost awed. I was a little surprised too. How exactly did Purity escape from something like that?

"You managed to escape, of course." My father noted. "How is it that you were injured?"

Purity grimaced, then gasped silently from the pain of the burns on her face.

"Lung, that coward...he brought a flaming _warehouse_ down on me."

Oh.

Purity, like most parahumans actually, was no brute. She managed to avoid bodily harm primarily by flying far out of the reach of her enemies. Moreover, she usually had backup to keep her from getting caught by just such a trap.

But to fly out of a burning and collapsing building...even with her kinetic blasts, she would not have been able to dodge everything.

Kaiser seemed to be having similar thoughts.

"You see why you can't keep doing this Kayden?" Max asked with a sigh. "You're far too vulnerable for this kind of independent action."

"I won't come back Max." Her reply was quiet, but there was _steel_ in that voice.

"Yes well, we've seen where that takes you. Given the state of your injuries I believe it best that Aster come stay with Theo and I for the time being."

I barely managed to contain my reaction. _That_ was why we were here. Why my father had asked me to bring Aster before he had even ascertained the state of Kayden's injuries in person.

He was using Aster as a _bargaining chip._

I grit my teeth silently. It was times like these that reminded me why I hated Max Anders.

"Stay with you?" Kayden demanded. "Why should she-" she broke down into a coughing fit, clearly distraught.

"Why, you ask?" Max replied wryly. "Look at yourself, Kayden. You're in no position to take care of her like this. You'll need help to recover yourself!" He turned away. "No, I can't allow you to neglect our daughter like that."

"Um, sir, I'm fairly confident I can heal her in a few days." Othala interjected. "She would be right as rain in no time at all. It's no trouble."

"Othala, need I remind you?" Max reprimanded her regretfully. "Purity isn't a member of the Empire anymore. She doesn't have a right to your services."

"Surely you aren't suggesting we just throw her out!?" Othala replied, shocked. Max grimaced, artfully enough that I almost bought it, before responding with a pained look on his face.

"Of course not." His voice almost incredulous. "Kayden- no, Purity, may have abandoned us, but we have not abandoned her." He glanced at Kayden, who lay observing the proceedings with an unreadable mix of emotions on her scarred face. Looking back to Othala, my father continued his performance.

"No, unfortunately there was another fight this evening. Several of our promising youth suffered serious injuries, and since they _are_ faithful members of the Empire, we have to prioritize their treatment."

He glanced back at Kayden. "However, I am confident that those same fine young men would gladly delay their own treatment if I could explain to them that it was for _Purity_ , proud member of the Empire."

Kayden's face twisted in fury. "Max-"

"Please Kayden. Give up this foolish quest of yours." Max pleaded with her. "You don't need to stand alone when the Empire is ready to support you. Just…come back."

I'll admit, it was very convincing. Kayden even appeared conflicted for a moment.

Then her eyes flickered back over my father's shoulder at me. At Aster.

" _No._ " She rasped. Othala frowned at her, clearly upset. Kayden simply shook her head. "I won't play your games Max. I'll do it right, or _not at all_."

My heart soared, even as Othala closed her eyes in defeat. Max sighed, and then straightened his shoulders. It was Kaiser that looked to Othala.

"I'm sorry, but...you heard her." Amazingly, he sounded tired. Resigned even. He turned to me, "Come along Theo. You have everything Aster needs to stay with us?"

My mouth was too dry to reply quickly, but Max didn't mind. He had only spoken for Purity's benefit anyway.

"No. Max. I won't let you take her." Kayden coughed frantically, straining her voice. Othala frowned down at her, clearly perplexed at her distress.

"What would you have me do?" My father asked, turning about dramatically. "You're clearly unfit to look after her. You've refused my help and Othala's healing. It will be weeks before you have recovered."

"I could help her."

It wasn't until everyone had turned to look at me, surprise evident on their faces, that I realized I had spoken. I felt the blood draining out of my face at the sudden scrutiny, but I soldiered on. Like a train off the rails, the only option left was to go forward.

"We have the holidays coming up." I explained. "And Aster is...is my sister. I can stay with Kayden and look after her."

The reactions to my proposal varied, from Othala's detached curiosity, Kayden's obviously mixed feelings, and my father's barely restrained fury.

Well, that last one wasn't even evident to me, and I had a lot of practice reading the man. I had learned a long time ago that it was easier to predict Max Ander's reaction to things than it was to read it off of him at the time. I was pretty sure throwing off his little plot would earn me his ire.

"That would-" Kayden began reluctantly.

"Not work." My father cut in sharply. "Theo means well, to his credit, but he has school during the day, and he will not be available to look after Aster."

"We get out in a week." I replied shakily. "And we're not back for a week or two after that. If I explain that it's a—" I glanced to Kayden "—family emergency, I can probably get the work to do at home. My grades are good enough."

And they were. Several months as a tinker had cured any issues I had with science, chemistry, and math. And the other subjects used to be my _strong_ ones.

My father met my eyes, a dangerous glint in his own as they narrowed at me. I managed to avoid looking away...barely.

"That sounds like a good idea to me sir." Othala interjected. "Usually we protect identities by healing injuries in a matter of days. If Purity...if Kayden has to recover naturally..." Othala's tone made it clear that she found the idea utterly ridiculous. Unfortunately, I spotted her looking at Kayden with a frown, so she must have accepted Max's insinuation that Kayden was to blame for refusing her services. "She'll need someone to help her without going to the hospital. Theo's available and willing, and he already knows."

She shrugged. "It seems like the best option given the circumstances."

Max closed his eyes, the only sign of his growing temper, before turning back to Othala with a smile.

"Excellent thinking my dear," he replied charmingly. "I hadn't considered that, but it is rather important. After all, we don't want Purity to lose Aster."

Kayden and I both stiffened at the implied threat, which apparently sailed right over Othala's head. Even so, I couldn't help the small feeling of triumph growing in my chest.

Max Anders, no, _my father_ had miscalculated, after all. He thought he had Kayden by the throat, but he hadn't accounted for my offer, nor Othala's backing. It was sheer luck, both that Othala was too valuable for him to disregard, and that he had chosen to play his games right in front of her.

Even so, it was a victory, however small.

Kayden was probably grateful just to keep Aster. I have no doubt my sister would have been safe with us at my father's manor, she was far too young to understand the things Max did or said.

Still, it would have been the first step gained in a potential custody battle, one that Kayden couldn't afford to lose any ground on. Not if she hoped to keep her daughter safe from Kaiser's machinations.

But for me, it was even better.

For the next four weeks at least, I was going to stay with Kayden. No school. No real supervision. No guards or cameras idly watching my every move.

It was exactly what I needed to speed up my Kaibutsu training, let alone my tinkering.

I managed to contain myself while Kaiser left and Othala showed me to the waiting room. But the second she left me there alone I smiled at Aster.

"Everything's going to be alright." I whispered to her. She smiled back at me sleepily, wriggling her way deeper into the blanket I had her wrapped in.

I stayed there, rocking my baby sister to sleep while I plotted. It was an hour before Sheila drove me back to Kayden's apartment, planning all the while.


End file.
